Former Alabama star acknowledges 'it was embarrassing' to add 30 pounds last season despite warnings to watch weight

As the seventh overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, JC Latham was thrust into a position to be a bit of a savior for the Tennessee Titans' offensive line. The dominant Alabama tackle boasted an immensely impressive frame, but his relative lack of polish made it so he had to learn a lot in Year 1.

His rookie campaign was solid enough to believe in his trajectory. But the growth from 2024 into 2025 will be a big part of his career narrative. He's now been in an NFL weight room with better coaches and nutitionalists. 

The 6-foot-6, 341-pounder admitted his weight was an issue last season, and he's done the work to correct that concern. Here's Latham describing his challenges during his rookie campaign.

"Everybody was telling me at the end of the year to watch your weight, that can sneak up on you. I blew up. I didn't take that advice, obviously, and got bigger. Entering that Houston game, I was probably my heaviest, and I felt a lot slower. It was embarrasing for me...Going into the offseason, my biggest focus was getting into a lot better shape."

Duke Manyweather, one of the most effective and famous offensive line coaches in the country, had this to say about Latham's approach this offseason:

"Really proud of JC’s growth the last year. He had a choice to make! His maturity and deliberate approach is already paying him dividend."